El Racó, Costa Brava
The Local Anchor
Just inland from the shore, the ancient, honey-stoned village of Pals keeps watch from its hilltop. This impeccably preserved medieval town, with its Romanesque tower and cobbled lanes, is the region's historical soul. For centuries, its fortunes were tied to the surrounding wetlands, which gave rise to a deeply rooted culinary tradition: the cultivation of rice. This heritage endures in the local dish, Arròs de Pals a la cassola, a rich, slow-cooked rice that captures the essence of the Empordà landscape. It is a taste of history, a direct line from the ancient fields to the seaside table.
The Landscape
El Racó is a magnificent sweep of coastline, the widest beach in Begur, offering a grand panorama of the Medes Islands, which sit like mythical creatures on the horizon. Its generous breadth of sand provides a sense of immense space, cradled by a bay of gentle, moderate waves. To the north, the famed Camí de Ronda coastal path begins its dramatic journey, a rugged trail that winds its way towards the secluded coves of Illa Roja and Sa Riera. This is where the cultivated plain meets the wild coast, a landscape of serene beauty and untamed edges.